Mr Ryan went missing on June 3rd, 2011 after leaving his girlfriend Mary Lowry’s home at about 6.30am. His body was found in an underground run-off tank on the farm owned by Ms Lowry and leased by the accused at Fawnagown, Tipperary 22 months later in April 2013.

The prosecution claims that Mr Quirke murdered Mr Ryan so he could rekindle an affair with Ms Lowry (52), while the defence contends the prosecution has failed to prove their case beyond a reasonable doubt, and must acquit.

The jury of six men and six women resumed their deliberations on Wednesday morning and were sent home for the evening at about 4pm. They have been deliberating for more than three-and-a-half hours so far and will resume again on Thursday morning at 11am.

The two verdicts open to the jury are: guilty of murder or, alternatively, not guilty.

A short time into their deliberations on Tuesday, the jury sought all of Mr Quirke’s interviews with gardaí as well as phone records, which were handed in.

In her charge to the jury on Tuesday, Ms Justice Eileen Creedon told them that they must not by influenced by emotion, sympathy, anger or disgust, and must treat circumstantial evidence against the accused with care.